Understanding ISIS and the New Global War on Terror ─ A Primer

This introductory text answers basic questions about the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the new global war on terror, with the aim of helping readers change the discourse focused on war and implement alternative strategies. It explains terrorism, the consequences of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the response in Iraq to US occupation, the Sunni Awakening, the origins of ISIS, how the US invasion of Iraq affected the growth of ISIS, the role of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the motives and causes of the tactic of public execution, the beliefs of ISIS, Wahhabism, how ISIS is financed, the role of women in the organization, why people from foreign countries are joining it, how Obama's war on terror differs from Bush's, the effectiveness of Obama's strategies, the return of troops to Syria and Iraq, the role of drones, the war in Syria, the Arab Spring, and the role of Saudi Arabia, Iran, oil, the Kurds, and the United Nations, as well as alternatives to war with ISIS, and other topics. Annotation c2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)